Patriot's Diary # 25: Kenyan Christmas

This is the third time I am writing this entry. I am not quite sure what it is that I really want to say. I know I love Kenya, I won’t lie that I love Christmas and idolize it like most but I learnt this Christmas that it’s about family.

The typical Kenyan Christmas preparations begin with colossal amounts of shopping for those who can afford it. But even for those with meager incomes afford themselves the financial stretch to get a ‘taste’ of Christmas.

Goats, cows and chicken are bought alive and in mass. You see it’s not just about having a fried bird on your plate; it’s about how you slaughter it and prepare it. It’s a ritual. I know this may sound gross to the unfamiliar. But it’s during Christmas that children learn how to slaughter, slice and dice the meat for cooking. Primarily because there is a distant uncle, cousin who seems really cool when they do this and it makes a good story to share when schools open.

The making of Chapatis and Pilau are so integral in the meal. Then for the older folk, Ugali (maize meal dish) is a must have. The saturated air of all the sumptuous meals is inebriating. The crates of sodas and beer for the adults, and the dilute-to-taste juice being swirled and diluted in huge buckets with children hovering around dying for a sip. Every meal is vast in size. It’s a feast, endless eating and drinking and merry making. And if you have a mother like mine, decorations are a must have. My mother has Christmassy decorated table linen for this occasion. It’s an open house for all, especially when you are in the village.

From 6am there are villagers and the late family arrivals banging at the gate ready to make merry. I enjoyed it as a child it was something to look forward to. But now, well, it’s just another day off. Well that was until my best friend; Ashley invited me over to spend Christmas day with her family and some of our friends. Let’s just say the scrooge that was within me fled the premises when I got to her parents’ place.

It was the epitome of a Kenyan Christmas. The warmth of Christmas began with the teasing aroma of Ashley’s mum’s famous Pilau. It made me so hungry. I gladly remembered why I was there; to feast into the late night. There was so much food; there was Mukimo, (a specially made mashed potatoes mixed with beans and corn), roast goat meat, fruits salad, chicken, more chicken and more chicken, Pilau, more chicken. Honey glazed chicken and lemon and garlic chicken. There was kachumbari, (salsa) that was perfect with the roast meat which was all washed down with some soda.

I ate so much sitting upright was a problem. Don’t get me wrong I am an ‘activist’ against gluttony, but there is one day of the year that is excused from the activism calendar; Christmas! However anti- Christmas you are, there is something about a good meal, great laughs and a drink that melts scrooge away! Then there was ice-cream, heaven! Now writing this is just making me hungry. Ashley and I then chose to pick the sweets the children didn’t want to eat (maybe we just took them). It was a fabulous.

I think what I love the most about the Kenyan Christmas I experienced this year, is the fact that it is purely catching up. It’s time to just get to know what each person has been up to. It’s the perfect time for every family member to really find out what the other person has been up to, what they think and what they aspire for without the usual parental patronizing.

I had spent Christmas with my friend last year as well. But it was surreal seeing the same faces again and a year had already gone by. Some of the children were moving to their final year in high school or primary (elementary) school. Some children looked 3 years older than they actually were. They had grown so fast. It was surreal. A year has come and gone and well what to show for it? That thought just gives me chills.

Out of all the things that I have mentioned that I love about my country, this one is universal. Christmas is about the family. A time to share and treasure the bonds that we hold dearest to us, even if it means meeting the annoying relatives!

What people say about Vickie

Nicholas Kairo (Vickie’s brother) on Vickie’s work; ‘it’s a potent thing, it’s her calling …I’ll support her.’

Joseph Gichuru (Shown left: Rehabilitated inmate who worked with Vickie while in prison); ‘Unless someone like Vickie takes charge no one else will introduce the programmes.’

Joyce Gitau (welfare officer / wardress at the Nairobi west Prison); ‘she’s like our link to the outside people..She is always going out of her way…she’s been a good support.’

Quick Facts: Vickie Kairo

1. She is 24 years old and a Business Management Graduate

2. She is a full time volunteer with Nafisika trust, her family supports her. And she does not make any money at all from her efforts in prison.

3. She managed to get in touch with the former VP of Kenya and a fellow compatriot in prison reforms Hon. Moody Awori to strategize for a bigger and better reform programme starting 2010.

4. She was recently selected as the Kenyan delegate to the One young world conference in London from 8th to 10th February 2010.

5. She introduced a programme called Remote Parenting that offers prisoners the chance to interact and mingle with their families through fun days.

6. She recently helped an inmate; Joseph Gichuru, get back on his feet after his release after serving a two year term for cheque fraud. Joseph now wants to join Vickie on her mission to restore the dignity and self respect in inmates.



Quick Facts on Nafisika Trust;
1. Nafisika Trust is a registered organization under Kenyan law

2.It is made up of four volunteers with Linda Maruti as Vickie’s right hand person who assists in sourcing for donor support.

3.There are two key programmes that Nafisika Trust Offers; the Prison programme, called Second chance and The adult home school. The adult home school is centered on providing domestic workers with the necessary education they need to live and help achieve their goals and even restore their esteem. The adult home school programme currently has a 28 year old domestic worker who they have been teaching since March 19th 2009.

4. Nafisika plans to introduce a business class in 2010 in the prisons

5. It works with literate and highly educated prisoners as support staff to teach in classes as well as assisting in understanding the inmates needs better.

6. It works with a lesson plan and timetable and run classes from 2 to 4.30pm Monday through to Friday.

7. Nafisika uses the Kenyan educational curriculm;8-4-4. And has tailor made the curriculum to fit within the prisoner’s sentence and their interests.

If you’d like to know more or help Nafisika Trust out in any way, you can email nafisika@gmail.com

Correcting Corrections: Vickie Cairo

I was fishing for a new story. I wasn’t looking for anything fancy. I just wanted to meet the average person who has chosen to use the little they have to make a difference. I know; it sounds simple doesn’t it? Just roll out of bed and help people because I can. But the truth is, it takes courage and heart to keep giving of yourself when there are no immediate returns.


I didn’t have to take a bus trip or have to go through personal assistants or security personnel. A friend introduced me to Vickie Kairo. (above right) When I met her we just hit it off. She is such a jovial person, with a warm heart, very open and on a mission. I would call her the face of correctional reforms in Kenya and beyond!

Vickie is currently a volunteer teacher at the Nairobi West Prison in Kenya’s capital. Nairobi West prison is a minimum security prison for men that opened its doors to the public in 2002. Vickie was introduced to the prison on New Year’s Eve of 2006. She had joined a local church on a charity visit; the usual nothing, extraordinary.

The first step…
But it was from that initial visit at the prison that got Vickie thinking, ‘there is something that I have…maybe I can offer my skills’. She approached the welfare department of corrections, which facilitates the prison education programme that took her on board. But it was all on a volunteer basis. (left: Prisoners during the Christmas Fun day on December 16th at the prison)

Vickie received support from her family who helped her raise the necessary monies to buy text books and stationery for the prisoners. She started off teaching the interested prisoners, who were drop outs, elementary Math, English, and Guitar lessons. The elementary levels vary. The prisoners are first evaluated by the Welfare officer and then taught according to their proficiency.

Three years on, Vickie has now partnered to form Nafisika Trust. Nafisika is a Swahili word that means to come out of poverty and bring into well being! Currently Vickie works with three other volunteers with an array of skills; early childhood education, literature, business management and Information Technology.

Humility and purpose
What I appreciated about Vickie is that it is clear she does respect the inmates. She has given them the power of choice rather than the rudimentary bark and execute approach that most prisoners are used to. The courses that Nafisika trust offers range from basic guitar and music lessons, basic computer skills, and elementary education. Vickie believes that it is from this approach to education in the prison system that people will, ‘look at them [ex-inmates] in society and say, “now this guy made something out of himself”. Vickie avidly adds, ‘I want to see these guys’ lives change’.

What Nafisika Trust offers is an opportunity for prisoners to explore their interests, rather than the usual imposed duties such as fixing license plates or carpentry. Nafisika has given them what they hope to get behind the confines of the walls, a second chance and dignity!

Campaigner
Vickie recently visited with a friend in Belgium, and also toured a prison in Holland to get a feel of a different correctional system. She also lobbied to get computers for her students who direly need the equipment. She was pretty persuasive because right now she is awaiting the arrival of the computers. (Right: Vickie & Kinda of Nafisika Trust)

There is so much that Vickie has in store for Nafisika trust and education in correctional facilities. But what convinced me that Vickie was in this for the long haul was when she said, ‘I just find my purpose in that.’ The passion that I saw in Vickie on a recent Christmas Fun day at the prison was just a fraction of the drive she has. She managed to get donations for the prison library. Vickie is encouraging the inmates to read and make the most of their time and their lives while in prison.

I finally asked Vickie if she’s ever felt afraid in prison, considering the caliber of the criminals and being a woman in a man’s prison. She simply responded with a smile that she felt safer in prison. I didn’t believe her till I visited the prison, it really is more like a community that wears the same clothes. It was actually, well…safe. In my entire visit I only saw one gun and that was the guard at the watch post.

Steph Jones | Intelligent Optimists | Ode Magazine

Steph Jones Intelligent Optimists Ode Magazine

Patriot's Diary # 24: It's in the shoes

Whether it is the ngolovas (platform shoes), akala (rubber/ tyre sandals), and high tops (trainers from the 80s) or stilettos, Kenyans know how to bring the house down. Dancing isn’t just about moving your body or in some people’s case faking a seizure. It is also about what you wear when you are jigging on the dance floor.

Dance styles have evolved over time like it has all over the world, but Kenyan dance intrigue lies in how we do it. It started off with the popular twist in the 60’s and 70’s. I think that is one of the most universal dances of all times.

But the twist was more than a twirl and a descending twist of the waist from side to side. It was the twirling of the skirts, the huge collars and well combed afros with the platform shoes. Oh! And the side burns, now that made the twist.

Then the 80’s with TV programmes like Solid Gold and Top of the Pops influenced the Kenyan disco era. It was all about the puffy hair, shiny and over sized clothes with three quarter trousers and the Jerri curls. This was the phasing out of the natural look, well for just a couple of years. The Jane Fonda aerobics look; head bands to hold the hair back and the tight leggings and leotards all over the place. The pumps and the frumpy dresses were soo in season. It was tight verses frumpy, who cared, as long as you could swing to the beat, it worked.

Then the late 80s and 90s surfaced. And in came the puffy MC Hammer look, the ‘box’ hair cut and break dancing was on the scene. Break dancing was where all the ‘cool’ people stole the show or got the girls. In Nairobi there was jam session at Florida 1000 (popularly known as F-1).

Jam session was your time to make your big break as a choreographer or singer extraordinaire. Because it was the only time you could sneak out during the day to the disco. And you could fake a believable excuse to tell your parents.

Then the last 90’s and the 00’s revealed the shoulder shaking, neck snapping ‘buffalo’, ‘helicopter’ and ‘kuku’ (chicken) dance styles. Then some lingala flavor with the handkerchief’s flailing in the air, dancing all lined up. Then there’s the ‘airplane’ and ‘helicopter’ move as well. It’s all about the take off into the sunset of the disco ball reflected horizon. Flap, twist, fling yourself or shake your rear. Kenyans are a sight wherever they are dancing, or lying to themselves that they are.

Whether it’s contemporary Kenyan music, Lingala, Zhouk, pop, hip-hop, rock or ethnic music at the different cultural nights, Kenyans don’t dance they rock the building! Twende Kazi!

DE-Colonize Your MIND!

I am not one to impulse buy books, but when I walked into the book store I knew I had to take this book; Abolition! As I have been working on the Patriot’s diary these past couple of months, I have been asking myself why we as Africans hate ourselves so much. It’s really been bothering me. The book Abolition! gave me some insight as to why. The author Richard Reddie takes an interesting look at the link between the initiation of the Transatlantic Slave trade and the depletion and destruction of Africa’s history and artifacts to yield what we are all victims of; modern day slavery mentality .

I am still in the process of reading but my eyes were opened to one key thing. Where is Africa’s history? The only History I know is political, colonial, pre-independence and post independence stories of African states. While I was reading the book it hit me! The first thing that came to mind when I thought of a random African country was their colonial master or their current political turmoil.

Then I thought to myself, wait a minute, we can turn this around. All we need to do is uncover and understand our great past. Great African Scholars like Cheikh Anta Diop and Ali Mazrui have dedicated their lives uncovering Africa’s rich and prosperous past. There have been eyewitness accounts and documentations found regarding the great Kingdoms of Western Africa, reeking of gold, ivory, stone, ebony and incense. There has also been factual evidence of the grandiose Nubian empires with great architecture. And of course we can’t forget the Egyptian’s contribution to modern medicine in their practice of mummification among other medical discoveries.

I was amazed to learn from the book, Abolition, that Greek scholars like Archimedes and Pythagoras studied in Egypt prior to their great contributions to mathematics. I was even more dumbfounded when I read that Zimbabwe, Mali, Songhai and Ghana were great economic hubs. This is the history that we have grown up unaware of. This is the knowledge that we need to restore our pride and eliminate the nonsensical ‘groping in cultural darkness’.

I was watching a Kenyan show yesterday; it was the typical music video entertainment slot. The videos had the usual infamous theme; parties, alcohol, women scantily dressed and gyrating. It really upset me that that is what we have been reduced to. We have sucked in the callous, get rich quick cultural theme from a certain segment of African American culture. All I can remember saying to my friend who was watching the show with me was that we (Kenyans) have lost our pride.

We are groping to embrace a culture and yet struggle to be African. That is my logical understanding as to why we ape the so called ‘brand America materialism’. We are lost and helpless. Since we don’t know where we came from but know where we want to go, we embrace what is close to what we think will lead us to a future of bliss! How do you cure yourself from such a paradox of being proud of who you are and hating who you are at the same time?

The cure to our current infirmity of cultural rape and slavery mentality is simple; research, read and share the knowledge you have. Here are a couple of books to get you on your way to a clear understanding of the grandiose culture of whom we are descendents of; a beautiful African people.

Abolition! The struggle to Abolish Slavery in the British colonies by Richard Reddie

Destruction of Black civilization: Great issues of a race from 4500 B.C to 2000 A.D. by Chancellor Williams

The Origins of Civilization: Myth or reality by Cheikh Anta Diop

Civilization or Barbarism: An Authentic Anthropology by Cheikh Anta Diop